The True Crime that Inspired ‘Deadwater Fell’

‘Deadwater Fell’ is a British series that follows the story of a man named Tom Kendrick, whose family perishes in a fire. Investigation reveals that it had not been accidental, which turns the suspicion on Tom. Starring David Tennant, each episode of the series uncovers the truth about the case and what happened that night. The series has received a lot of love from the audience, some comparing it to Tennant’s other crime-drama, ‘Broadchurch’. The story focuses on love and family and presents a twisted tale. This leads us to the question: has this happened to someone in reality? Is ‘Deadwater Fell’ a true story? Here’s the answer.

Is Deadwater Fell Based on a True Story?

No, ‘Deadwater Fell’ is not based on a true story. However, the writers of the show, Emma Kingsman-Lloyd and Daisy Coulam were heavily inspired by a real case, which is also the subject of a Netflix true-crime documentary, ‘The Staircase’. It follows the case of Kathleen Peterson’s murder at the hands of her husband, Michael Peterson. Kingsman-Lloyd confessed that they had been “a little bit obsessed with true crime shows which is where the initial thought came from because Daisy said that she wanted to write something that had the forensic detail of a true-crime documentary show.”

The case brought out a sense of disquiet in a home that might look different from the outside. They infused this in their show. Coulam said, “You’re going through a house, and it’s all quiet, and you go ‘this incredibly violent thing happened there. That sort of stillness and the natural way that, even when they’re talking about dead people, it’s very matter of fact the way they talk about things. We just wanted to capture that sense.”

Despite its true-crime nature, the story is about humans. It is not about demonizing the perpetrators but understanding why they did what they did, and it is about “victims who deserve to be remembered as more than a smiling face in a faded photograph.”